Rin was awakened by a sudden commotion. Groggily she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up in bed. Outside her door, she could hear multiple, rushed footsteps and raised voices. Pushing her blankets back, she crossed her room and cracked her door open. Servants and guardsmen were mostly going up and down the stairs, but occasionally came down her hall past her room.

"Kai," one of the servants called out and the green haired demoness came into view. "The castle defenses are almost complete. Do you know when our lord will return?" Kai shook her head.

"He must find Ann first," Kai responded, placing one of her hands on her forehead. She looked exhausted. The servant frowned.

"Why would she do this? Now she is in danger and our lord is forced to find her."

"Don't be too hard on her," Kai admonished lightly. "She is only doing what she thinks is best." Kai gently placed her hand on the servant's shoulder. "Honestly, is she really doing anything that any of us wouldn't do in the same situation?" The servant dipped her head.

"You're right." she agreed.

"Please don't worry about our lord," Kai said with a gentle smile. "He will come back safely and will bring Ann back too." They moved on down the hallway as their conversation finished.

"Ann," whispered Rin, concern lacing her voice.

Rin clicked her door shut and ran to her window. Outside the light of the moon revealed more guards on the wall. She bit her lip, but turned to the trunk in her room and began to drag out her cold weather clothing. Once she was dressed, she snuck out of the castle and out into the courtyard. Sticking to the shadows, she found the hole in the wall that she'd discovered soon after she first came to the castle. She squeezed through it into some brush on the other side and then hurried off into the woods.

"I'm going to help find Ann," she thought as she melted into the shadows of the forest.

Ann didn't stop moving, even though her body was begging for it. She carried a small pack with a little food and the naginata from the dojo. She didn't feel comfortable relying solely on her priestess powers.

She had left soon after she'd finished her lesson with Rin and had been on the run for days now. If she could have, she would have left earlier.

Sesshomaru's actions had left her conflicted. She couldn't deny that she wanted him. When he was near, she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to be wrapped safely in his arms. His scent captivated her, so she wondered what he'd taste like, and if they kissed, where would his hands go to lock her against him.

She shook her head, dismissing her fantasies. The reality was that Sesshomaru would never lower himself to actually do anything with her. There may be a physical attraction between them, but his pride was too strong to act on mere lust. And then there was her promise.

As always, a wave of guilt swept through her but this time she shrugged it off. She was finally doing as she should have months ago. She knew it was only a matter of time before Naraku revealed himself. She just needed to stay ahead of Sesshomaru until then.

"If Sesshomaru catches me now," she thought darkly, shivering a little. "I can't even imagine what he'd do. I'll be lucky if he just locks me up."

That's when she sensed it, the Shikon Jewel. Ann came to an abrupt stop and closed her eyes. She could sense it faintly in the direction she was heading. She frowned.

"Maybe it's Kagome and Inuyasha," she thought out loud, picturing the shards they had carried in the little glass bottle. She opened her eyes and sighed heavily. "More likely it's Naraku. It's just too perfect that the jewel is already in the direction I'm heading."

She adjusted her pack and continued forward. "This is it," she thought, a mixture of relief and fear filling her core.

The Shikon's power grew steadily clearer as Ann continued. The Soul of the Shikon within her felt as if it was vibrating. "They're talking to each other," Ann thought, rubbing at her chest where the sensation felt the strongest. Her fingers came into contact with the damaged skin, reminding her of Sesshomaru and she pushed on a little faster.

After a short walk, Ann crested a hill that overlooked a long valley. Most of the base of the valley was filled with a sparkling lake and thick forests covered the hills of the surrounding area. Touches of snow was still in their branches, but, with the warmer weather, it had begun to melt. At one end of the lake was a small clearing with a castle built at the edge of the water. There didn't seem to be any movement around the castle, but that was where the Shikon Jewel was.

"Definitely Naraku," she muttered, anxiety twisting her stomach. She leaned the naginata in the crook of her arm to wipe her moist hands on her pants. Fear was now taking over. Who knew what that monster had in store for her.

A sob broke free from her as panic welled up inside, and she held her face in her hands. "I'm so scared," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I don't want to die." An ache filled her chest as the truth of her words settled in her mind. She didn't want to die, but she also didn't want to live with the guilt and bad memories anymore. Wiping away the tears and firmly gripping her naginata, Ann started down the hill to the castle.

As she approached the castle, the air grew colder, the darkness thicker. Her footsteps echoed ominously on the stone path leading to the entrance. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

The gates were ajar, creaking eerily in the wind. Ann hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced back at the path she had traveled on, knowing there was no turning back now. With a final, resolute breath, she stepped through the gates.

A single path led into the courtyard, which was eerily silent. Ann's senses were on high alert as she moved cautiously forward, her gaze darting over the buildings that bordered the courtyard. The energy of the Shikon Jewel was palpable now, tugging at the piece attached to her soul as if calling to it. She clutched her naginata tighter, ready for any attack.

Suddenly, a door slid open on the biggest of the buildings, revealing Naraku dressed in his white baboon pelt. Ann could barely see his jaw below the mask of the pelt, but she could tell he was smirking. Her fear began to mix with anger as her blood started to boil.

"Naraku," she called, her voice tense. "I have come to avenge my family." She threw her pack aside and deftly twirled her naginata through her fingers, abruptly stopping it to point at him. Naraku's blood red eyes gleamed through the holes in his mask as his smirk turned into an outright smile.

"You haven't avenged them so far," he taunted. "I have a feeling you will be a failure this time too."

"I guess we'll see," Ann said, her gaze locked on him. In a flash of movement, Ann sprinted forward. As she neared Naraku, she leapt through the air and brought the naginata down in a flash of purple light. Naraku dodged from beneath her, leaping several feet away, leaving Ann to strike the ground, sending dirt and rocks shooting in all directions. Instantly, she was following him, sweeping her glowing naginata at his retreating form.

A dagger materialized from within his robes, streaking out towards Ann. She paused, knocking the dagger from the air with her own weapon. That was all the time Naraku needed. He stopped in the middle of the courtyard, his body contorting and shifting, as the mismatched limbs and body parts of demons extended from his once human body.

Ann gasped, sliding to a stop across the loose rocks. She backpedaled as one of his limbs, something similar to a mantis leg, struck out at her. Her stomach twisted sickly as Naraku's upper torso was pushed up through the mess of his grotesque body. His malicious gaze found her, and he smiled wickedly.

"What's the matter, Ann?" he mocked, moving towards her in a predatory fashion. "Do you not like my body?"

"I suppose the flesh only matches the monster inside now," Ann retorted angrily, as she shifted into a defensive stance. Naraku chuckled.

"While you were mourning that foolish boy, I was becoming stronger," he boasted. A flash of anger ripped through Ann, but this time she tempered it, Sesshomaru's warning about controlling her anger echoing in her mind.

"I have to stay focused this time," she thought, her grip tightening on her weapon. To Naraku, she snapped, "You are so full of shit." He paused, surprised by her comment, and then laughed.

"Ann!" he exclaimed, his eyes blazing in excitement. "You are so much more fun than when we first met. I can't wait to kill you." Ann pointed her naginata at his face.

"Likewise."

At the top of the hill that Ann had crossed less than an hour before was Rin. Her hands were clenched in front of her as she watched the battle.

"Oh Ann," she whispered nervously. "Please win." An enormous gust of wind suddenly blew through the area, knocking Rin to the ground.

"Look who I found," Kagura stood over Rin, a dangerous look in her eyes. Rin cried out as she tried to scramble away, but Kagura caught her up in her arms.

"Let's get a better view of the fight together," she hissed into Rin's ear. Throwing her feather in the air, they both appeared on it far up in the air and started gliding towards the battle.

Rin huddled at the feather's center, terrified of heights, making Kagura laugh.

"This is bad," Rin thought. "Now what will I do?"

On the opposite side of the valley, Inuyasha's party crested the hill. The scent of Naraku had drawn Inuyasha in, while Kagome had noticed something else.

"It's Ann," Kagome said excitedly into Inuyasha's ear as he carried her on his back. "I sense her part of the Shikon Jewel along with the piece that Naraku carries."

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha asked, glancing over his shoulder at her as he ran.

"Yes," Kagome said. "Her aura is very distinct."

"We need to hurry then," called Miroku, him and Sango riding Kirara while listening in on the conversation. "She might need our help." They all exchanged nervous looks and continued their speedy descent towards the castle.

Back in the castle's courtyard, Ann waited in her defensive stance, her focus intent on Naraku. The smirk had dropped from his face, his eyes locked on her. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle lap of water on the lake shore.

With a blast of speed, Ann rushed forward, making decisive strikes with her naginata. Each strike sliced at his body. Several of his mismatched arms struck out towards her from multiple directions. Ann held one of her hands out in front of herself, creating her shield. Naraku's limbs collided with it, his body exploding in chunks off of its sizzling, purple surface.

The force of Ann's priestess powers rocked Naraku back, but then he surged forward as more limps violently emerged from his body. Ann dropped her shield, striking at the newly formed body parts, only to have one of his root-like appendages wrap around one of her legs and fling her across the courtyard. She struck the ground hard, rolling several feet, before she came to a rest.

"Damn it," she grumbled, as she quickly forced her aching body back on her feet. Naraku was coming at her like a freight train, the ground rumbling with his every step. Ann dodged from side to side. Her weapon slashed wildly. Flesh fell. More limbs attacked. She countered, barely keeping up.

"This is not good," she thought, her teeth clenched. "He's overwhelming me. I have to use my powers, but he's not giving me the opening."

Naraku's limbs suddenly were coming at her from all directions again, this time too fast for her to form a shield. She was sent flying as they made contact, landing hard on her back. The wind was knocked out of her, but she still managed to roll to her front and rise to her knees. That was when she noticed it.

Scattered around her were the hunks of flesh that she'd been hacking off during their fight. Her breath hitched as she realized they were wiggling and crawling about on the ground. She moved to rise to her feet, but found she was stuck to the ground. Some of the flesh had already found its way to her and was wrapping itself around her legs.

Ann's gaze darted to Naraku, her insides chilled at the triumphant look on his face. Desperately, she slashed at the flesh with her naginata, but it kept coming, its pace quickening as if it sensed the victory. Ann cried out in dismay, as the fleshed weighed her down until she toppled over. She gritted her teeth as she tried to suppress the panic that was building up inside her. Within moments, she was completely buried by the wiggling mass.

"It's over," Naraku's voice echoed around her. "Admit your defeat and become one with me."

"Over?" Ann's mind was buzzing with fear and panic now. "Defeated? This can't be happening. I can't be failing this badly." She could no longer move, no longer breath, but she wasn't completely out yet.

Panic clawed at her mind, but she forced it down, gathering her powers. They swirled warmly at her core, helping her fear subside. With all the force she could muster, she released her powers in a blast of brilliant purple light that burnt Naraku's flesh completely off of her body.

The smell of burnt flesh was pungent as Ann rolled to her knees, gasping for air, her eyes locking on Naraku. His frustration was obvious, but he remained stationary as he glared at her. Ann snatched up her naginata and forced herself up on to her shaky legs.

"Your tricks don't work on me anymore, Naraku," she shouted, directing her weapon at him. "I'm not weak and my purpose is clear. I will defeat you." Naraku sneered. His body tensed, ready for the next attack, when he sensed Inuyasha moving in on their location.

"That foolish half breed," he thought angrily. "I'll have to retreat for now." Naraku refocused on Ann and said, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer to destroy me, because it seems to me you have more pressing matters to attend to."

"What are you talking about," Ann snapped, confused at this turn of events. Naraku's gaze flicked to the sky above the lake. Ann followed his gaze, and gasped when she saw what he was talking about. About a hundred feet above the lake's surface, hovered Kagura's feather. She was leaning out over the edge, holding a crying Rin by the back of her kimono.

"No," whispered Ann in disbelief, as Kagura released Rin. The blood curdling scream that escaped her little mouth was heart wrenching. Driven by instinct, Ann clapped her hands together and directed her open palms towards Rin. A swirling, purple globe of energy appeared around Rin just before she struck the water.

"No," Ann screamed as she sprinted towards the lake. "Please! Not her too!"